Moderate Flood Warning Issued for Wollombi Brook Area

BY ISABEL EVERETT

A moderate flood warning has been forecast for the Wollombi Brook area.

The flooding will impact the towns and surrounding areas of Broke, Bulga, Laguna, Millfield, Wollombi, Brickmans Bridge, Ellalong, and Paxton.

The Wollombi Brook at Bulga may peak near 3.70 metres around 7:00 pm on Tuesday with moderate flooding.

The Wollombi Brook at Wollombi is expected to remain below the minor flood level.

The Bureau says people in areas likely to be impacted by flooding in Low-lying areas of Wollombi Brook Area should prepare for potential isolation and possible evacuation.

People in areas likely to be impacted by flooding should consider:

• Refraining from driving or walking through flood water   
• Road closures and flood isolation may impact on work, family and educational commitments
•  Monitoring emergency warnings and severe weather updates on NSW SES Hunter Facebook Page and Bureau of Meteorology website   
• If your property is at risk of inundation, please raise moveable items, such as furniture, as high as possible onto benches or tables, placing electrical items on top 
• If you are advised by an emergency services officer to evacuate, please do so  
• Securing outside belongings and before leaving; turn off the power, water and take essential medicines and clothes with you 
• Farmers should move machinery, livestock, pumps and fodder to flood free ground  

Newcastle Council and Stockton Community Brace For Big Swells

BY ISABEL EVERETT

Stockton's coastline is expected to take a battering of the next few days, with the Bureau of Meteorology predicting a low-pressure system will hit the Hunter's coast line on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The system is likely to bring heavy rain, strong winds and large waves, with Newcastle Council putting safety measures in place, particularity in areas highly affected by erosion like Stockton. 

Surf and swell conditions are expected to be hazardous for swimming, surfing and rock fishing for all Newcastle beaches and both ocean bathes starting Tuesday until Friday. 

Newcastle Council will close beach access ways in Stockton and current traffic controls in place at Barrie Crescent and Mitchell Street will be reinforced.

Closures at Barrie Crescent, Mitchell Street, Stone Street Corner and Griffiths Road may be implemented depending on weather conditions. 

"The direction of the swell tends to be the defining factor I think in how much erosion we get in Stockton and how much erosion occurs," Save Stockton Beach Member, Simon Jones said. 

"The swell that's forecast for the next couple of days is coming from a South Easterly direction, and basically anything that comes out of the East will cause a significant amount of damage to the more Southern areas of Stockton, which are the areas that are already the most eroded."

"So this event certainly has the capacity to cause some damage."

Mr Jones said previously, big swells have resulted in significant clean up operations along Stockton's Coast. 

"More and more lately we're losing a lot of trees at the back of the beach, which are getting washed down onto the escarpment," Mr Jones said. 

"Also in the past there's been a lot of rock and other debris dumped in or behind the dunes, and we sometimes get contaminated stuff washing out the back of the beach when the erosion cuts into more of the escarpment. "

Newcastle Council is urging the community to follow safety warnings, abide by all road closures, and drive safely in the forecast extreme weather conditions.  

"Coastal erosion can change beach conditions dramatically and quickly. This can lead to sand cliff collapses without warning," Newcastle Council said in a statement. 

Image Source: The Guardian

Snow On The Barrington Tops As Hunter Braces For Wild Weather

BY IAN CROUCH

Frigid temperatures and rain have combined to produce snow showers on the Barrington Tops overnight.

Reports suggest a couple of centimetres has fallen, with more snow expected to fall above 800 metres today and above 1500 metres tomorrow.

Elsewhere, the mercury has plunged across the Hunter.

While it's 7-point-6 degrees at Williamtown,  the wind chill is making it feel like minus point 4.

Further north, there are reports of snow falls at Walcha north west of Tamworth and Armidale, where the temperature is point 2 of a degree at the airport, but it feels like minus 7-point-5.

A Severe Weather warning is current for the Hunter, with potentially destructive winds gusting up to 90 kilometres per hour expected later this morning or early afternoon in Newcastle.

Snow Is Falling On The Barrington Tops Pictures: Justin Lawrence

Hunter Facing One Of The Warmest July Days On Record

BY IAN CROUCH

Weather forecasters could be reaching for the record books today, with parts of the Hunter set to enjoy one of the warmest July days ever.

Newcastle is expecting a top temperature of 26 degrees- the record stands at 26.3 degrees, which was reached on the 24th of July 1990.

Duty Forecaster, Rob Taggart from the Weather Bureau says it's uncommon.


"It's pretty warm and certainly not normal typical July weather,"  he said.

However, it won't last, with a gusty change due later this afternoon which will see maximum temperatures drop back to the mid teens tomorrow as the winter chill returns. 

Enjoy The Warm Weather While It Lasts